Have you ever taken a picture and wondered why you looked so white (washed out), overly shiny and/or had a really flat complexion? Chances are you were just applying your makeup like you normally would on a day-to-day basis. The truth is, makeup for photography is a bit different because there are certain things you need to avoid and there are certain products that work better than others. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go out and buy a whole other set of makeup, but you may need to apply the makeup you already have in a different way.

The first and most important tip is to avoid foundations that have an SPF. Any foundations that contain these sun protection ingredients tend to turn out very pale when the flash hits it. This is because they are reflective – the flash’s light bounces off of it, making the face appear very pale and washed out. Also, some translucent powders can lead to the same effect that a foundation with a SPF has. However, that being said, powders are very important in reducing shininess, which leads me to my next major issue with makeup for photography.

People can tend to look shiny in photographs when a flash is used, especially when the person has oily skin. Even a person with dry skin can appear shiny due to the fact that the camera’s flash is reflecting off the face. There are two ways to avoid this: use a mattifying primer and/or use a setting powder. A mattifying primer will help regulate the face’s oiliness while a setting powder will help lock in all the makeup as well as keep everything matte. Avoid certain translucent powders as they can create a washed-out complexion; use powders with a little bit of a skin tone colour

. Another problem people have with pictures is that their complexion tends to look a little bit flat. A photographer can usually edit this to give more depth and dimension to the face, but it’s best to accomplish this with makeup. The key to this is contouring, highlighting and adding blush/bronzer to the complexion. For pictures, it is okay to apply a bit more product than usual because you want to make sure your face has enough dimension (especially if the photo is being taken at a distance). The best products to use for this are either the Lise Watier Portfolio or the Smashbox Contour and Highlight Kit.

The next time you are modelling for a photo shoot or are going to an event where you know a lot of pictures will be taken, you now have a few tips to use to make sure you look fabulous in each photo. Avoid SPFs, invest in a setting powder and don’t be afraid to add a little bit more makeup than you are used to in order to make sure it shows up in the pictures.